Presentation Thinking™

Sugata Mitra is one of the few people to have five TED Talks. Why? He’s a perfect combination of scientific, challenging norms and soft-spoken charm. As a theoretical researcher with an interest in education and the role of the internet, Sugata’s “Hole in the Wall” experiment has become a famed example in how kids can self-organize and essentially teach themselves anything with access to the internet. And no, that’s not a bad thing at all. He first tried this in remote areas in India and has since replicated it all over the world. Sugata’s conclusions from these experiments vary, but they all challenge traditional education teachings. Mikey and Molly dive into Sugata’s quietly powerful stage presence, minimal visuals and storytelling skills to understand how he’s accrued some of the most famous TED Talks ever. This is an episode for: People that give talks that challenge norms and anyone with an interest in education.What’s in the Spice Cabinet??Hear & see Sugata for yourselfWatch the talk we get into here, The Future of Learning (2018)Watch Sugata’s other TED Talks hereInterested in his research on education and the internet? Follow Sugata online hereHis latest book - The School in the Cloud: The Emerging Future of LearningSugata’s Walkout song (according to Molly)?We Don’t Need No Education - Pink Floyd

Ivan Wanis Ruiz is ready for us to never be bored during presentations again. Returning to the podcast for a Book Club style episode we dive into his book, End Boring: A Tactical Approach to Public Speaking and Communication.For his research, Ivan speaks with buskers, professional wrestlers and police interrogators to study the neuroscience of why people absorb information the way they do. This is counter to a lot of public speaking advice out there, learning only from experts, gurus and elite keynoters. Ivan brings in simple truths like acknowledging you might never not be nervous during a presentation—so how can you work around that? Understanding our limitations and digital-age attention spans is something we need to evolve with, not against. All of Ivan’s ideas circle back to the one core goal of any presentation which is to create curiosity—to get the audience asking for more (following you online, ordering a product, asking for demos, etc.). Through clear case studies and tactical tips that hold up to today’s world of rapid content creation and AI-generated thoughts, Ivan’s book reads like a relevant kick-in-the-ass towards presentation excellence.This is an episode for: Leaders, managers, webinar creators/hosts, and presenters of any variety (especially those that get nervous). What’s in the Spice Cabinet? Read for yourself (or listen via Audiobook!)End Boring: A Tactical Approach to Public Speaking and CommunicationWant more of Ivan?Tune into our previous episode with Ivan, #180 - Ivan Wanis Ruiz is here to revolutionize your public speakingFollow him on LinkedInAnd his company, Public Speaking LabIvan’s reccos?Unexpected book reccos: Demon Haunted World by Carl Sagan & Anne Druyan Thirteen Steps to Mentalism by Tony CorindaPropaganda by Edward BernaysGreat speakers:James BaldwinGil Scott-Heron

Founder of Hello World Studio and Professor of Graphic Design at Mt. San Antonio College in California, Krislam runs their graphic design program, inspiring new waves of creators stepping into our visual storytelling world. Krislam joins Presentation Thinking to discuss her favorite parts about teaching such a creative craft, how students transition their concepts into presentations and the value of learning how to present creative work so that concepts can sell.She also shares the ethos around Hello World in allowing students to lead client projects and understand the ins and outs of a professional creative process. This is an episode for: creative leaders, teachers and designers of all kinds. What's in the Spice Cabinet? Follow Krislam’s work (she does professional development workshops on the regularLinkedInHello World Studio - they have monthly gatherings! Join them.Krislam’s favorite LA things?Bookstores! Village WellSkylight BooksArcanaCulver City StepsIn-N-OutFavorite books, resources?Anything published by Victionary AIGA LA Design FestivalFavorite font?“I’m a serif girlie. Out the box, I have to give it up for Baskerville…that and then there’s also Garamond as a second choice.”Walkout song? This Is What It Sounds Like - from the K-Pop Demon Hunters Soundtrack

Listen up!Julian Treasure is a communication expert and sound researcher, interested in harnessing the power of voice and sound for speakers, listeners and learners. His TED Talk, How to speak so that people will want to listen, from 2013 is one of the most-viewed TED Talks of all time (a measly 47 million views and counting on YouTube). Upon first listen you might think “huh”—he gave me a few lists about ways that we misuse the voice, how powerful it actually should be and a handful of “tools” of the voice in order to execute our meaning more strategically. Big whoop.But Mikey and Molly are here to recognize the storytelling that Julian employs is extremely powerful. He first sets up the world as is: the “deadly sins” of misusing speech and language—we’re all familiar with these and it builds rapport. Then he presents an idealized utopian vision with his acronym “H.A.I.L.”—the promised land for better use of language. But how do we get there? Well, next he provides the tools to unlock the “Happily Ever After.” Julian studies intricacies of how our brain takes in sound—down to details like the architecture of open-office plans and classrooms. So it's rare to see such complex subjects so well executed in under ten minutes.Julian’s stage presence, pace and masterful economy of language (ie: says a lot in just a few words) have all earned him a spot as one of the most viewed TED Talks ever. This is an episode for: speakers, sound/audio nerds and anyone just wanting to communicate more effectively. What’s in the Spice Cabinet? Watch Julian Treasure’s famous 2013 TED Talk:How to speak so that people will want to listenCheck out Julian’s books and other work on communications and sound researchHereKeep going down the rabbit hole! Julian’s 4 other TED Talks:The 4 Ways sound affects us (2009)Shh! Sound health in 8 steps (2010)5 Ways to listen better (2011)Why architects need to use their ears (2012)Julian’s walkout song? (according to Molly)The Sounds of Silence - Simon & Garfunkel

Stories and messages are best remembered with visuals. We’ve used countless examples of iconic movies to demonstrate this concept. But what about music videos? After the VMAs (Video Music Awards) were held a few weeks ago, it got us thinking about classic arcs, story shapes and how they might show up in our favorite music videos. Songs already tell stories themselves but when paired with a memorable dance, schtick or cultural moment, it makes the message that much stickier.To tackle this episode, Molly brings in a few friends of the pod: filmmaker Asha Alaji-Sharif and Account Coordinator, Bridget Welch. From Madonna to Michael Jackson to Miley Cyrus—we dive into the most popular, most controversial and most memorable music videos of all time. Music videos do indeed carry their own kinds of story archetypes that we can learn from in the B2B world. This is an episode for: product marketers who like pop culture, music fans and anyone dealing with their nostalgia for MTV of the 80s & 90s. What’s in the Spice Cabinet?The “Best Of” lists we reference:Rolling Stone: The 100 Greatest Music VideosBusiness Insider: 60 of the Most Iconic Music Videos of All TimeA handful of the heavy-hitter music videos we get into detail Michael Jackson - ThrillerMadonna - Voguea-ha - Take on MeMiley Cyrus - Wrecking BallKendrick Lamar - AlrightOK Go - Here It Goes AgainBritney Spears - …Baby One More TimeHer iconic VMAs performance (2001)Beyonce - FormationWhere to study the “shapes” of story:Christopher Booker’s 7 Basic Plots: Why We Tell StoriesOur personal picks for fave music videoAsha: Beyoncé, Shakira - Beautiful LiarBridget: Taylor Swift - Love StoryMolly: Boygenius - True Blue

Ivan Wanis Ruiz thinks bios are boring—but we’ll do our best to introduce this founder of Public Speaking Lab and the guy challenging all the presentation advice you’ve ever been taught.Ivan’s background brings a little bit of everything. Event MCing, acting, marketing, finance and presently a founder and coach have all contributed to his adaptable presentation skillset—and he’s determined that the best and most memorable presenters don’t necessarily follow traditional public speaking advice.From leveraging basic conversational networking skills to zero-ing in on how to keep audiences engaged in virtual webinars, Ivan emphasizes a much more natural approach to the ways we present and how we absorb information.This is an episode for: keynoters, people that have to give presentations (but don’t want to) and anyone growing bored of virtual webinars. What's in the Spice Cabinet?Find more of Ivan:On LinkedInAt Public Speaking LabGet his BOOK, End Boring: A Tactical Approach to Public Speaking and CommunicationOur episode featuring Dr. Steven Franconeri:#176 - Dr. Steven Franconeri tells data stories—and you can tooIvan’s YouTube recommendations for what we can learn from Gen Z content creators:Jenny HoyosFave wrestler? Macho ManAll-time favorite speaker?Watch Sugata Mitra’s TED TalksIvan’s walkout song? Method Man - Bring the Pain

Visual thinker, founder and “Chief Doodler” Hayley Langsdorf can capture more with a sharpie than any bulleted list of meeting notes. If you’ve never heard of a “live scribe”, neither had Hayley a few years ago. This is someone that sketches out important ideas from board meetings or keynotes at a conference in real-time. Having studied English literature and worked in communications, Hayley maintains that visual thinking has been a core piece of the way she’s been able to process and understand the world around her. After realizing how live sketching could contribute to corporate communications, she founded her own company, Thoughts Drawn Out.Hayley joins the ‘cast to discuss storytelling and memory, what she provides for clients, her TED Talk experience, AI and more.This is an episode for: visual thinkers, NON visual thinkers and anyone that doodles in meetings. What's in the Spice Cabinet??Watch Hayley’s 2019 TED Talk: Visual Storytelling: Drawing out our collective intelligenceMikey and Molly talk about it in Episode #171Find and follow more of Hayley’s work:Thoughts Drawn OutFind Hayley on YouTube for behind the scenes information and visual storytelling tips LinkedInFavorite speakers & creators?Beau MilesBusiness of Story podcast with Park HowellPodcaster? Rich RollBuilding a deck: PPT or Google Slides?“PowerPoint gets a bad rep but it’s still quite universal…I find PowerPoint to be the most accessible way to build stuff that people can continue to play with and manipulate and use and craft.” Favorite childhood story? Oh the Places You’ll Go! Dr. Seuss“I was also a big Roald Dahl fan”Walkout song?Thunderstruck by AC/DC

Originally built as the GhostRanch company retreat, Story Camp has been brewing for a few years. It’s a concentrated three day series where the company gets to focus, relax and level up on presentation skills. This summer was different - we set our sights to invite clients and the public to join in on what we feel is a secret formula for blending professional presentation development and inner child camp joy. With the help of some stellar keynote speakers—Social Psychologist Amy Cuddy, Data Expert Steven Franconeri and former speechwriter for President Obama, Terry Szuplat—Story Camp achieved that rare event magic where everyone felt like friends by closing time. The architects behind this, of course, were Founder and CEO Mikey Mioduski and Executive Creative Director Allie Wilson. They both join this episode to talk about what went into the planning process, building the “Story, Screen and Stage” conference structure and how it felt hiking with our keynoters in beautiful Park City. This is an episode for: the team planning a big event, professionals looking for their next conference and anyone with summer camp nostalgia. What’s in the Spice Cabinet?? Follow Story Camp to stay in the loop for next year’s retreat! StoryCamp.comLinkedInGet inspired by the Story Camp 2025 KeynotersAmy CuddyTerry SzuplatDr. Steven FranconeriMontana von FlissNeed an amazing AV crew for your next event? AVAD3

Dr. Christopher Cummings may have started his career in the classroom but he would eventually find himself in the “COVID-19 war room” during the global pandemic in 2020.A high stakes job you may never have considered, Chris is a behavioral theorist and Research Social Scientist. He’s in the business of understanding—scientifically and psychologically—how we perceive risk. How do you convey complex concepts in sometimes scary times? How do you act swiftly while information is rapidly changing? Many of Chris’ answers share core concepts with the B2B world.After watching Chris’s 2017 TED Talk, The Dark Magic of Communication (and talking about it in our subsequent episode #167), Mikey and Molly knew they had to get Chris on the ‘cast to confirm what they already suspected—Chris is the most interesting man in communications.Together, we dig into Chris’s unique journey, navigating international comms on emergency vaccine research, presentation skills, his TED Talk experience, mold spores and more.This is an episode for: speakers with high stakes presentations, anyone interested in social science and everyone still processing their pandemic lockdown.What's in the Spice Cabinet? Tune into Chris’s 2017 TED Talk:The Dark Magic of Communication: How we manipulate othersMikey and Molly talk about this pre COVID prophetic TED Talk in Episode #167 of Presentation ThinkingFavorite speakers you’ve admired that led you to your communications journey? “ When I was a young child like 7, 8, 9, 10 years old, my parents had gotten me a set of audio cassettes. And I would fall asleep every night listening on my little boombox, you know, in the late 80s to the classic golden age of radio.And so these were pre television comedy shows. Jack Betty, George Burns, Gracie Allen, Amos ‘n’ Andy, Abbott and Costello.  So they had incredible uses of voice because they had to, right? It’s radio. And so, you know, they, brought in props and made sounds that emulated like they were on a street corner in New York, yet they're in, you know, a phone booth sized, you know, recording studio. And I fell in love with language and communication at that age.” Other comedy shoutoutsRodney DangerfieldRichard PryorIn the science worldDavid Attenborough In the political worldFormer President ObamaBook reccos? Persuasion, Social influence and Compliance gaining - John Seiter, Robert GassInfluence: Science and Practice - Robert CialdiniNudge - Richard Thaler & Cass SunsteinRumors: Uses, Interpretations and Images - Jean-Noel KapfererDream presentation venue?Maybe a major American monument like the Lincoln Memorial Walkout song? MGMT - Electric FeelJack Johnson - Inaudible MelodiesWhere to find and follow Dr. Christopher?LinkedIn!PowerPoint? Google Slides? Canva?“To me, they’re all poison.”

Dr. Steven Franconeri is a leading speaker and teacher on data storytelling, a professor at Northwestern University and the Founder of Becise - a platform helping people transform their data into compelling narratives. (Steven ALSO just so happens to be one of our guest speakers of our first-ever Story Camp—an annual presentation thinking skills summit that you should definitely check out next year.) Steven joins the pod to discuss why we should take PowerPoint more seriously, his consulting experience, how decks differ dependent on audiences and how to avoid the curse of expertise in data storytelling. With his professorial experience and research, Steven has seen validation after validation wherein data and debate presented with stories always resonate better than those without. This is an episode for: data viz nerds, the family “debater” and storytellers of all kinds.What’s in the Spice Cabinet? Where to find Steven and his work: LinkedInFollow BeciseCheck out his newest creation, Point Taken Game—A writing-based conversation game that turns heated topics into moments of reflection, connection, and claritySteven’s walkout song? “Something electronic and melodic like house or funk”Parting shots for Presentation Nation?“Beware the ‘curse of expertise.’ …We're all overconfident, we're all seeing the world through a certain perspective, and if you haven't gotten that perspective sharpened by having other people argue with you. And if you haven't had your presentation vetted by others to make sure that it makes sense to them—be uncomfortable.”